Genealogy with a DNA twist! Posting about family history and genealogy, especially genetic genealogy but sometimes general history too.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Why take an autosomal DNA test?

I have become a bit obsessed with genetic genealogy. The more people who test, the better for everyone as the larger the databases the better the chance of finding close cousin matches and being able to document a paper trail with your genetic cousins.
Autosomal DNA testing, unlike mtDNA testing or y-DNA testing, will match you with cousins who aren't necessarily on your direct paternal or direct maternal lines. With a larger database we will be able to discover more leads into who unknown females are in our tree (and who doesnt have at least a half dozen Mary ?'s and/or Elizabeth ?'s in their tree?). We will also get more clues into what areas of the world to search for ancestors, and much more. The test will show a 2nd cousin about 99% of the time and a 3rd cousin about 90% of the time. More distant cousins will also be shown, and there are often many of these predicted 4th to distant cousins (after all, most people have many, many distant cousins out there!)Autosomal DNA testing can help confirm existing paper genealogies.I currently have over 2000 Relative Finder matches (genetic cousin matches at 23andMe.) I have also tested my father, my paternal grandmother, my maternal half brother, 2 maternal half sisters, my maternal grandfather, my maternal grandfathers sister and two 3rd cousins to my maternal grandfather, and a son of my maternal grandmothers sister. By doing an autosomal DNA test you would be helping yourself, me (and others) with our genealogy. And it is FUN!Please consider ordering a DNA kit from 23andMe, AncestryDNA or FTDNA today!

Also check out my many other blog postings on autosomal DNA testing, genetic genealogy, some interesting things learned from my results and more!

Some of my "most wanted" testers are:Descendants of Willard Woodman Slocum and Sarah Eliza McNutt Descendants of Lewis Peverelli, born 1804 in Italy. Also, Peverelle/Peverellis that are NOT descendants of Lewis, but also have Como, Italy Peverelli ancestry. We have some Peverelle/Peverelli mysteries that I would love to solve! Descendants of Thomas Mulligan and Dorothy Leatham of Ireland.Descendants of William Bond Gabie and Margaret Mary Lowry (Lowrey).Descendants of Joseph H Townsend and Margaret Pooley.Descendants of Samuel Wickliffe of Ireland.Descendant of William Dinsmore Haskill and Sybil Culver.Descendants of Edmund Rice and Thomasine Frost or Mercy (Hurd?)If you are currently testing at 23andMe, FTDNA or Ancestry or have already tested, please let me know so I can check for a match as non-matching can also be informative.